We work and contribute only because there is a need at that moment. When there is a need for us to do, we do it. After we have done it, that’s all. There are no other purposes to it. Of course, we should help those who need help. When others need help, we just help. Helping is like not helping at all. In the Diamond Sutra it is written: “Give without giving is the true giving.” When we help others, it is like eating food or washing our hands. We don’t feel especially proud for washing our hands. That state of mind is just like that. Whatever we do, we do it as if for ourselves. It is very natural. If we don’t practice spiritually, no matter how much goodwill we have, we still can not do it well.

Why is our world in such a mess? So full of misery and war? It’s because the so-called leaders do not discipline themselves. They do not completely become empty. While they are serving, they still want others to know and to have results. They want appreciation and rewards. They want recognition, therefore, they struggle for fame and profit and forget to serve. They are too busy grabbing fame and profit, then they are overcome by greed, hatred and ignorance. Their hatred and contending attitudes become dominant and they can not do the right things.

I told you to practice the Quan Yin Method, not to ask you to leave your job or to leave the world, but to ask you to do an even better job and serve others better. There is a Chinese saying, “Discipline oneself, take care of the family, govern the nation, and then pacify the world.” He has no problem governing nations no matter how much money you pay him or how many things you give him he will still serve others because he needs nothing! A person like that can truly govern the nation. If he still wants to govern, it is not good. When he has no desire to govern, then he can govern well. He does it naturally. If he is called upon to govern, he can govern. He does what he can do. He does when there is a need. He doesn’t mind what kind of work. Whatever he does is to serve others. Whenever there is a need, he does it, whether it’s sweeping the floor, mixing cement, laying bricks, or being a king. If one can achieve this level of doing for the sake of other’s needs, not because of any personal intentions, then he can govern any number of nations, no problem. If one hasn’t reached that level, he can not even govern himself, not to mention letting him govern a nation or pacify the world. Many people are eager to govern a nation or to pacify the world without first examining their inner attributes and abilities; such people can mess up this world.

From “How to Govern Without Governing”
News 63, Spot Light
Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai
Hsihu Center, Formosa • April 12, 1992
(Originally in Chinese)

Actually, in the future, if we get over this year 2000 apocalypse crisis, we will be able to develop further in the future. And I can probably imagine that the people in the future after year 2000 won’t have to work so hard. We will have a different system, a wiser system, and people will probably work for hobby only. And we probably won’t need money. Everyone will produce what we have and then we share with each other. Will be better. But that is what I imagine. I hope it will come true. I think it might.

At the moment, we work a lot for nothing. We work a lot, we earn little, and waste a lot of our time which we could use for more intelligent practices. Because actually if a man has more time, he can contribute more also. In his relaxed time, he can produce, he can learn, he can train himself in another way of work, and he can use his intelligence for his hobby developing. And sometimes people put more energy in their hobby and then it produces better results.

I think everyone should work only half a day. That should be enough. And the other half day should be used for hobbies, whatever they like to develop or their own invention, their own research. Hobbies don’t always mean useless speaking or football, or anything like that. Anything done voluntarily under their own will and intelligence is called a hobby. But a hobby can be very productive and helpful to society.

Maybe in the future, we can go to that.

From “Coloring Our Life”
News 46, Master Says
Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai
Group Meditation in Singapore • September 29, 1994
(Originally in English)